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Tok Pisin phrasebook Travel Guide

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Tok Pisin is spoken in Papua New Guinea, and is closely related to Pijin blong Solomon (Solomon Islands), Bislama (Vanuatu), and Ailan Tok (Torres Strait); these Bislamic languages are descended from a pidgin which formed around 1820 or 1860. The vocabulary is 5/6 Indo-European (mostly English, some German, Portuguese, and Latin), 1/7 Malayo-Polynesian, and the rest Trans-New-Guinea and other languages. The grammar is creolized and unlike those of the source languages.

Notable features of Tok Pisin include the frequent suffix -pela, which is used to pluralize personal pronouns and mark that an adjective or number is modifying a noun, and the suffix -im, which usually indicates a transitive verb. Many words are reduplicated, which may make a completely different word (sip ship, sipsip sheep), form a derivative (tok word, talk, language, toktok conversation, phrase), or just be part of the word (pukpuk means crocodile, but there is no word puk).

Contents

Pronunciation Guide

Vowels

a 
like father
e 
like set or name
i 
like hit or machine
o 
like squawk, fork, or home
u 
like soup

Consonants

b 
like bed
d 
like dog
f 
like fun or a bilabial fricative; often interchangeable with "p"
g 
like go
h 
like help
j 
like judge; only word-initial
k 
like keep
l 
like love
m 
like mother
n 
like nice
p 
like pig; often interchangeable with "f"
r 
trill or flap
s 
like sue or zoo
t 
like top
v 
like five
w 
like weigh
y 
like yes

Common diphthongs

ai 
like time (taim), trying (traim), or offering (without the "r") (ofaim), depending on the word
au 
like cow

Phrase list

Basics

Hello. 
Gude. (goo-DAY)
Hello. (informal) 
Hi. Hai. (HIGH)
How are you? 
Yu i stap gut? (yoo ee stahp goot?)
Fine, thank you. 
Mi i stap gut. (mee ee stahp goot)
What is your name? 
Husat nem bilong yu? (HOO-zaht naym bee-LONG yoo?)
My name is ______ . 
Nem bilong mi i ______ . (naym bee-LONG mee ee _____ .)
Nice to meet you. 
Nais t mit yu. (NIGHSS t' meet YOO)
Please. 
Plis. (plees)
Thank you. 
Tenkyu. (TENK-yoo)
You're welcome. 
You're welcome. (yuhr WEL-kuhm)
Yes. 
Yes. (YESS)
No. 
Nogat. (noh-GAHT)
Excuse me. (getting attention) 
Excuse me. (ehkz-KYOOZ mee)
Excuse me. (begging pardon) 
Excuse me. (ehkz-KYOOZ mee)
I'm [very] sorry. 
Mi sori [tumas]. (mee SOH-ree [too-MAHS])
Goodbye 
Gutbai. (GOOT-bigh.)
Goodbye (informal) 
Lukim yu bihain. (LOO-keem yoo bee-HIGHN)
I can't speak tok Pisin [well]. 
Mi no save [gut] tok Pisin. (mee noh SAH-vay [goot] tohk PIH-zin)
Do you speak English? 
Yu tok Inglis, a? (yoo tawk ING-glis ah?)
Is there someone here who speaks English? 
I gat sampela hia i save tok Inglis? (ee gaht SUM-peh-lah HEE-ah ee SAH-veh tawk ING-glis?)
Help! 
Help! (HEHLP!)
Good morning. 
Moning. (MOHN-ing)
Good evening. 
Good evening. (guhd EEV-ning)
Good night. 
Good night. (guhd NIGHT)
Good night (to sleep) 
Good night. (good NIGHT)
I don't understand. 
Mi no harim tok bilong yu. (mee noh HAH-reem tawk bee-LONG yoo)
Enough of all this talking! 
Maski long planti toktok! (MAHS-kee long PLAHN-tee TOHK-tohk!)
Where is the toilet? 
Smolhaus i stap we? (SMOLL-hows ee stahp WEH?)

At this point, the fake phoneticizations of English are going to stop, and be replaced by ellipses.

Problems

Leave me alone. 
Larim mi!. (...)
Don't touch me! 
Noken holim mi! (...)
I'll call the police. 
Mi bai singautim wanpela polis. (...)
Police! 
Polis! (...)
Stop! Thief! 
Stap! Raskol! (...)
I need your help. 
Mi nidim halivim blong yu. (mee kneedim hahlivim blong yoo yoo)
It's an emergency. 
Displa em wanpla imegensi. (...)
I'm lost. 
Mi no inap painim rot blong mi. (...)
I lost my bag. 
Mi lusim hembek/bilum bilong mi. (...)
I lost my wallet. 
Mi lusim hanpaus bilong mi. (...)
I'm sick. 
Mi pilim sik. (...)
I've been injured. 
Mi kisim birua/asua. (...)
I need a doctor. 
Mi nidim dokta. (...)
Can I use your phone? 
Inap mi usim telepon bilong yu? (...)

Numbers

The forms ending in -pela are used when the number is followed by a noun other than a unit of measurement and is counting that noun, unless the number already has -pela in it. So tu klok is a time of day, but tupela klok is a pair of timepieces.

1 
wan(pela) (WAN(-peh-lah))
2 
tu(pela) (TOO(-peh-lah))
3 
tri(pela) (TREE(-peh-lah))
4 
foa, fopela (FOH-ah, FOH-peh-lah)
5 
faiv, faipela (FIGHV, FIGH-peh-lah)
6 
sikis(pela) (SIH-kiss(-peh-lah))
7 
seven(pela) (SEH-ven(-peh-lah))
8 
et(pela) (AYT(-peh-lah))
9 
nain(pela) (NIGHN(-peh-lah))
10 
ten(pela) (TEN(-peh-lah))
11 
wanpela ten wan (...), eleven
12 
wanpela ten tu (...), twelv
13 
wanpela ten tri (...), tetin
14 
wanpela ten foa (...), fotin
15 
wanpela ten faiv (...), fiftin
16 
wanpela ten sikis (...), sikistin
17 
wanpela ten seven (...), seventin
18 
wanpela ten et (...), etin
19 
wanpela ten nain (...), naintin
20 
tupela ten (...), twenti
21 
tupela ten wan (...), twentiwan
22 
tupela ten tu (...), twentitu
23 
tupela ten tri (...), twentitri
30 
tripela ten (...), teti
40 
fopela ten (...), foti
50 
faipela ten (...), fifti
60 
sikispela ten (...), sikisti
70 
sevenpela ten (...), seventi
80 
etpela ten (...), eti
90 
nainpela ten (...), nainti
100 
wan handet (...)
200 
tu handet (...)
300 
tri handet (...)
1000 
tausen (...)
2000 
tu tausen (...)
1,000,000 
one million (...)
number _____ (train, bus, etc.) 
namba _____ (...)
half 
hap (...)
less 
less (...)
more 
moa (...)

Time

now 
nau (now)
later 
bihain (bee-HIGHN)
before 
bipo (BEE-poh)
morning 
moning (MOH-neeng)
afternoon 
apinun (ah-pee-NOON)
night 
nait (night)

Clock time

one o'clock AM 
wan kilok (long san) AM (...)
two o'clock AM 
tu kilok (long avinun) (...)
noon 
Belo (...)
one o'clock PM 
Wan kilok(long) biknait (...)
two o'clock PM 
tu kilok (long) biknait PM (...)
midnight 
biknait (BIK-night)

Duration

_____ minute(s) 
_____ minit (MIH-nit)
_____ hour(s) 
_____ aua (OW-ah)
_____ day(s) 
_____ de (day)
_____ week(s) 
_____ wik (week)
_____ month(s) 
_____ mun (moon)
_____ year(s) 
_____ yia (YEE-ah)

Days

today 
tete (teh-teh)
yesterday 
aste (as-teh)
tomorrow 
tumora (tu-mora)
this week 
displa wik (...)
last week 
wik igo pinis (')
next week 
wik bihain (nex week)
Sunday 
Sande (...)
Monday 
Mande (...)
Tuesday 
Tunde (...)
Wednesday 
Trinde (...)
Thursday 
Fonde (...)
Friday 
Fraide (...)
Saturday 
Sarere (sah-reh-reh...)

Months

January 
Jenueri / Wan mun (JEN-oo-eh-ree)
February 
Februeri / Tu mun (FEB-roo-eh-ree)
March 
Mars / Tri mun (mahrs)
April 
Epril / Foa mun (EPP-reel)
May 
Mei / Faif mun (may)
June 
Jun / Sikis mun (joon)
July 
Julai / Sewen mun (joo-LIGH)
August 
Augus / Eit mun (AW-goose)
September 
Septemba / Nain mun (sep-TEM-bah)
October 
Oktoba / Ten mun (ock-TOH-bah)
November 
Novemba / Ilewen mun (noh-VEM-bah)
December 
Disemba / Twelf mun (dee-SEM-bah)

Writing Time and Date

Give some examples how to write clock times and dates if it differs from English.

Colors

black 
blak(pela) (...)
white 
wait(pela) (...)
gray 
gre(pela) (...)
red 
ret(pela) (...)
blue 
blu(pela) (...)
yellow 
yelo(pela) (...)
green 
grin(pela) (...)
orange 
orange (...)
purple 
hap ret (...)
brown 
braun(pela) (...)

Transportation

Bus

How much is a ticket to _____? 
Hamas long tiket igo long_____? (...)
One ticket to _____, please. 
Wanpla tiket plis ticket to _____, . (...)
Where does this train/bus go? 
Displa bas i save go long we? (...)
Where is the train/bus to _____? 
Where is the train/bus to _____? (...)
Does this train/bus stop in _____? 
Displa bas i save stop tu long_____? (...)
When does the train/bus for _____ leave? 
Wanem taim bas bai go? (...)
When will this train/bus arrive in _____? 
Wanem taim bai displa bas kamap long_____? (...)

Directions

How do I get to _____ ? 
Mi go long _____ olsem wanem? (mee GO long _____ OLL-saym WAH-naym?)
...the train station? 
ples bilong wetim tren? (PLAYS bee-long WAY-teem TRAYN)
...the bus station? 
ples bilong wetim bas? (PLAYS bee-long WAY-teem BUS)
...the airport? 
ples balus? (pleys BAH-loos)
Note: balus also means "pigeon".
...downtown? 
namel long taun? (NAH-mel long TOWN?)
...the youth hostel? 
...the youth hostel? (...)
...the _____ hotel? 
...the _____ hotel? (...)
...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? 
...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? (...)
Where are there a lot of... 
We i gat planti ... (WEH ee gaht PLAHN-tee ...)
...hotels? 
...hotels? (...)
...restaurants? 
haus kaikai? (hows KIGH-kigh?)
...bars? 
...bars? (...)
...sites to see? 
...sites to see? (...)
Can you show me on the map? 
Yu inap soim me rot long pepa map? (...)
street 
strit (...)
Turn left. 
Tanim lep. (TAHN-ihm lehp)
Turn right. 
Tanim rait. (TAHN-ihm right)
left 
lep (lehp)
right 
rait (right)
straight ahead 
stret (strayt)
towards the _____ 
towards the _____ (...)
past the _____ 
past the _____ (...)
before the _____ 
before the _____ (...)
Watch for the _____. 
Watch for the _____. (...)
intersection 
intersection (...)
north 
not (noht)
south 
saut (sowt)
east 
is (ees)
west 
wes (wehs)
uphill 
uphill (...)
downhill 
downhill (...)

Taxi

Taxi! 
Taxi! (...)
Take me to _____, please. 
Take me to _____, please. (...)
How much does it cost to get to _____? 
How much does it cost to

get to _____? (...)

Take me there, please. 
Take me there, please. (...)

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available? 
Do you have any rooms available? (...)
How much is a room for one person/two people? 
How much is a room for one person/two people? (...)
Does the room come with... 
Does the room come with... (...)
...bedsheets? 
...bedsheets? (...)
...a bathroom? 
...a bathroom? (...)
...a telephone? 
...a telephone? (...)
...a TV? 
...a TV? (...)
May I see the room first? 
May I see the room first? (...)
Do you have anything quieter? 
Do you have anything quieter? (...)
...bigger? 
...bigger? (...)
...cleaner? 
...cleaner? (...)
...cheaper? 
...cheaper? (...)
OK, I'll take it. 
OK, I'll take it. (...)
I will stay for _____ night(s). 
I will stay for _____ night(s). (...)
Can you suggest another hotel? 
Can you suggest another hotel? (...)
Do you have a safe? 
Do you have a safe? (...)
...lockers? 
...lockers? (...)
Is breakfast/supper included? 
Is breakfast/supper included? (...)
What time is breakfast/supper? 
What time is breakfast/supper? (...)
Please clean my room. 
Please clean my room. (...)
Can you wake me at _____? 
Yu kirapim mi long _____, a? (...)
I want to check out. 
I want to check out. (...)

Money

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? 
yupla save ekseptim moni blong America, Ostralia o Keneda ? (...)
Do you accept British pounds? 
Yupla save ekseptim moni bilong Inglan? (...)
Do you accept credit cards? 
Yupla save ekseptim kredit kad? (...)
Can you change money for me? 
Inap yu senisim moni blong mi? (...)
Where can I get money changed? 
Bai mi inap long senisim moni blong mi long we? (...)
Can you change a traveler's check for me? 
Inap yu senisim displa trevelas sek blong mi? (...)
Where can I get a traveler's check changed? 
Where can I get a traveler's check changed? (...)
What is the exchange rate? 
What is the exchange rate? (...)
Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? 
ATM stap we? (...)

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please. 
A table for one person/two people, please. (...)
Can I look at the menu, please? 
Inap mi lukim menyu plis? (ee-NAHP mee LOOK-im MEHN-yoo plees)
Can I look in the kitchen? 
Can I look in the kitchen? (...)
Is there a house specialty? 
Is there a house specialty? (...)
Is there a local specialty? 
Is there a local specialty? (...)
I'm a vegetarian. 
Mi kaikai sayor tasol. (mee KIGH-kigh SAH-yor TAH-sol)
I don't eat pork. 
Mi tambu long pik. (mee TAHM-boo long pik)
I don't eat beef. 
Mi tambu long bulmakau. (mee TAHM-boo long BOOL-mah-kow)
I only eat kosher food. 
I only eat kosher food. (...)
Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) 
Can you make it "lite", please? (...)
fixed-price meal 
fixed-price meal (...)
à la carte 
à la carte (...)
breakfast 
kaikai long moningtaim (KIGH-kigh lohng MOH-ning-tighm)
lunch 
kaikai bilong belo (KIGH-kigh lohng beh-LOH)
tea (meal) 
tea (...)
supper 
kaikai long nait (KIGH-kigh lohng night)
I want _____. 
Mi laik _____. (...)
I want a dish containing _____. 
Mi laik samting, yu mekim em long _____. (...)
chicken 
kakaruk (KAH-kah-rook)
beef 
bulmakau (BOOL-mah-kow)
fish 
pis (pis)
lamb/mutton 
sipsip (SEEP-seep)
ham 
lek bilong pik (lek bee-long PIK)
sausage 
sosis (...)
milk 
susu (SOO-soo)
cheese 
sis (seess)
eggs 
kiau (kyow)
salad 
salad (...)
(fresh) vegetables 
(fresh) fruit 
(nupela) prut ((NOO-peh-lah) proot)
lemon 
muli (MOO-lee)
orange 
switmuli (SWEET-moo-lee)
pineapple 
painap (PIGH-nahp), ananas (ah-nah-NAHS)
bread 
bret (bret)
biscuit 
drai bisket (DRIGH-bis-ket)
noodles 
nudal (NOO-dahl)
rice 
rais (righs)
beans 
bin (been)
May I have a glass of _____? 
May I have a glass of _____? (...)
May I have a cup of _____? 
May I have a cup of _____? (...)
May I have a bottle of _____? 
May I have a bottle of _____? (...)
coffee 
kofi (...)
tea (drink) 
ti (...)
juice 
juice (...)
(bubbly) water 
water (...)
water 
wara (WAH-rah)
beer 
bia (BEE-ah)
red/white wine 
retpela/waitpela wain (REHT-peh-lah/WIGHT-peh-lah wighn)
May I have some _____? 
May I have some _____? (...)
salt 
sol (...)
black pepper 
Bilakpla pepa (...)
This also means betel ; butter : bata (BAH-tah)
Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)
Sori, weta? (SOH-ree, WEH-tah)
I'm finished. 
Mi kaikai pinis. (mee KIGH-kigh PIH-nis)
It was delicious. 
Kaikai em swit nogut tru (...)
Please clear the plates. 
Plis inap yu rausim ol pelet. (...)
The check, please. 
Mi laik baem bil blong kaikai bilong mi. (')

Bars

Do you serve alcohol? 
Yu svae salim alkahol? (...)
Is there table service? 
Igat tabel sevis? (...)
A beer/two beers, please. 
Wanpla bia/tupla bia, plis. (...)
A glass of red/white wine, please. 
Wanpla galas-ret wain plis. (...)
A pint, please. 
A pint, please. (...)
A bottle, please. 
A bottle, please. (...)
_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. 
_____ and _____, please. (...)
whiskey 
wiski (WIH-skee)
vodka 
vodka (...)
rum 
rum (...)
water 
wara (WAH-rah)
club soda 
club soda (...)
tonic water 
tonic water (...)
orange juice 
orange juice (...)
Coke (soda) 
Coke, lolli wara (...)
Do you have any bar snacks? 
Do you have any bar snacks? (...)
One more, please. 
wanpla mo, plis. (...)
Another round, please. 
Wanpla raun ken/gen, plis. (...)
When is closing time? 
Wonem/wanem taim bai yupla pas? (...)

Shopping

Do you have this in my size? 
Yu gat displa long sais blong mi tu? (...)
How much is this? 
Hamas long dispela? (hah-MAHS lohng DIS-pe-lah)
That's too expensive. 
Pe i /(em i) antap tumas. (pay ee ahn-TAHP too-MAHS)
Would you take _____? 
Would you take _____? (...)
expensive 
dia tumas (DEE-yah too-MAHS)
cheap 
daun (down)
I can't afford it. 
moni blong mi no nap. (...)
I don't want it. 
Mi les long displa. (...)
You're cheating me. 
Yu wok long giamanim mi!. (...)
I'm not interested. 
Mi no intres tumas. (..)
OK, I'll take it. 
Koan, bai mi kisim. (koh-ahn, bigh mee KEE-sim)
Can I have a bag? 
Can I have a bag? (...)
Do you ship (overseas)? 
Do you ship (overseas)? (...)
I need... 
Mi laikim... (mee LIGH-keem)
...toothpaste. 
...sop bilong tit. (sohp bi-LOHNG teet)
...a toothbrush. 
...brass bilong tit. (brahs bi-LOHNG teet)
...tampons. 
...tampons. (...)
...soap. 
...sop. (sohp)
...shampoo. 
...sop blong garas. (sohp blhong gah-rahs)
...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) 
...pain reliever. (...)
...cold medicine. 
...marasin blong kus. (...)
...stomach medicine. 
...marasin blong bel i pen. (...)
...a razor. 
...resa. (RAY-sah)
...an umbrella. 
...umbaralla. (...)
...sunblock lotion. 
...sunblock lotion. (...)
...a postcard. 
...poskat. (POHS-kaht)
...postage stamps. 
...stem. (stehm)
...batteries. 
...batri. (...)
...writing paper. 
...pepa. (peh-pah)
...a pen. 
...pen. (pehn)
...English-language books. 
...buk long tok Inglis. (...)
...English-language magazines. 
...English-language magazines. (...)
...an English-language newspaper. 
...an English-language newspaper. (...)
...an English-English dictionary. 
...an English-English dictionary. (...)

Driving

I want to rent a car. 
Mi laik rentim kar. (...)
Can I get insurance? 
Inap mi kisim insurens? (...)
stop (on a street sign) 
stop (...)
one way 
one way (...)
yield 
yield (...)
no parking 
no parking (...)
speed limit 
speed limit (...)
gas (petrol) station 
sevis steisen (...)
petrol 
bensin (BEHN-seen)
diesel 
diesel (...)

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong. 
Mi no wokim wanpla samting i rong. (...)
It was a misunderstanding. 
It was a misunderstanding. (...)
Where are you taking me? 
Yu kisim mi go long we? (...)
Am I under arrest? 
Am I under arrest? (...)
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. 
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. (...)
I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. 
I need to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. (...)
I want to talk to a lawyer. 
Mi laik toktok long wanpla loia. (...)
Can I just pay a fine now? 
Inap mi baim fine nau tasol? (...)
I'm not a paedophile. 
Mi no wokim fiddle chiddren. (...)

Learning more

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